Ash collecting and dumping machine



W. EIERMANN. ASH couscrms mo DUMPING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV- l. l9 20.

Patented my 9,1922.

I I wimwo W. EIERMANN. ASH couacrme AND oumPme MACHINE;

APPLICATION FILED N-OV- 11.1920.

Patented May 9, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEH Z- HFIFIHH it eerie.

WILLIAM EIEBMANN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

Y Specification oflettersiatent.

release May 9,1922.

Application filed November 1, 1920. Serial No. 421,077.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM EIERMANN, a CltlZGn of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ash Collecting and Dumping Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled. in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention'relates to ash collecting and dumping machines, and the main object of the invention is to generally im. ')rove upon devices of this character by providing an improved structure which is exceedingly convenient and efficient, being provided with chutes on its opposite sides,so that ashes and other material can be poured into these chutes by persons on opposite sides of a street or alley in which the machine is operating.

A further object is to provide an improved structure of this character in which a single conveyor delivers the ashes or materia'l to a single elevator, and in which the elevator delivers the material to the dumping receptacle or body through a single chute which is covered and so united with the elevator-casing that dust is prevented from escaping therethrough to the open air.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which can be quickly and easily dumped without interference by any part of the device, and in which the elevator-casing constitutes an element of means to dump the receptacle.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section substantially along the line 3-3 8 of Figures 1 and 2, a r I Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section substantially along the line '4.4e%.t of Figuresl and 2,

Figure '5 is' a longltudinal vertlcal section substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig.

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section substantially along the line 6-6 of Figures ordinary springs and axle which connect the wheels to the frame 1, constitute-a'truck on which the remainder of the device is supported and carried. The frame 1 extends forwardly and rearwar'dly of the wheels "2,

and hinge elements or bearings 4 are secured on the rear end of the frame 1, these hearings 4 co-acting with pivots mounted on the dumping receptacle 5 which is substantially centrally located-over the :axis of the wheels of the truck. end of the receptacle 5 is provided with a door or gate 6 which is hinged to the cover or upper part of the receptacle, this door 6 being adapted to open and close by gravity when the receptacle swings from its normal receiving position to its dumping position and vice versa. The receptacle '5 is normally closed at all parts with the exception of an inlet opening or spout '7 through. which material is delivered to the receptacle from an elevator 8 which is enclosed in a casing 9, this casing being united with and extending upward from the truck and provided with an outlet 10 which is normally in registry with the inlet or receiv ing end of the chute 7 Moreover, the easing 9 is provided with an inlet openingll through which material is directed to the elevator 8 by means of a chute '12, the'lat-.

ter also being united with the truck and with the elevator-casing. The chute 12 is inclined forwardly towards the "elevator casing and is disposed under the rearend of an endless apron or conveyor '13 which is disposed in a conveyor-casing '14 in which a shaft 15 is journalled and carries the rear end of the apron 13. A shaft :16 is jour- 'na'lled in the chute 12 and carries the front end of the conveyor or apron 13. The -bot-' The upper rear arm tom of the receptacle 5 is arched at its front end, as indicated at 17 to provide a suilicient space between the conveyor and re ceptacle to permit the material to pass to and from the conveyor, and chutes 18 are provided at opposite sides of the conveyorcasing, these chutes or inlets 18 bemg provided with doors or closers 19 which may be closed immediately upon pouring ashes or other material into the chutes so as to prevent dust from rising out of these chutes.

The conveyor or elevator 8 is preferably of the type described in my prior Patent No. 1,224,290, elated May 1, 1917, that is, having bottoms which are forwardly inclined while in the ascending part of the elevator, and which are rearwardly inclined when in the descending part of the elevator, so that the bottom of a lower descending bucket lirects the material from the next super-adjacent bucket through the outlet 10 and into the chute 7. A shaft 20 supports and carries the upper end of the bucket-elevator this shaft being jo-urnalled in the casin 9 and extending forward and rearward, that is, in the direction of travel of the vehicle or ma chine. It should be understood that the shaft 20 is formed or provided with one or more enlargements 21 such as sprockets,

drums, or wheels on which the endles bucket-elevator is seated.

A driving shaft or transmission element 22 is journalled in suitable hearings on the truck, and an engine or motor 23 is mounted on the truck and operatively connected to the shaft 22 through the medium of chaingearing 24 or other appropriate transmission means for driving the shaft This shaft is provided with a gear wheel which meshes with a gear wheel 26 mounted on the shaft 16 of the conveyor The shaft 23 which drives the gearing 2d and shaft 22, also drives shaft 27 1 and 2) which carries sprockets 28 J igure 3) which engage with the elevator 8 for driving it. It will be seen, tierefore, that the conveyor 13 and elevator 8 operate in unison and the speed of each is in proportion to that of the other.

Referring to 3, it will be seen hat the chute 7 has its inlet end '0 disposed laterally with respect to the axes of the elevator for registering with the outlet opening 10 at the descending side of the elevator, while the rear end of this chute 7 is broader than its front or inlet end and is disposed centrally with respect to the longitudinal center of the machine, so that it delivers the material into the central portion of the machine, although it receives it from a side of the machine. Moreover, referring to Fig. l,

it will be seen that the conveyor 13 receives material from both of the chutes 18 and de livers the material to the chute 12, and that clined portion or bottom part 12 which diroots the material laterally, while directing it rearwardly so that it passes through the inlet of the elevator-casing, notwithstanding that this inlet is disposed laterally of the machine, at the ascending side of the elevator.

For the purpose of spreading the ashes or material in the receptacle 5, to properly distribute the load and render the dumping comparatively easy, while preventing the chute 7 from tilting, a spreading belt or endless rake conveyor 28 is provided as shown in Fig. 5. This spreader includes slats 29 which extend the greater part of the distance across the receptacle and are spaced from one another so that the ashes or other material can pass between them. This spreading device travels in the direction of the arrow shown in 5, so that its lower stretch rakes the top of a pile of ashes or material towards the rear end of the receptacle. The rear end of the rake or endless distributor 28 is supported by a shaft 30 and its front end is supported and carried by a tooth-drum or wheels, such as sprocket wheels indicated at 31, mounted on the shaft 32. A toothed gear wheel 33 is mounted on the shaft 32, and atoothed. gear wheel 34: is mounted on a vertical shaft 35 which also carries a toothed gear wheel 36. The teeth of the gear wheel 86 are normally in mesh with those of the gear wheel 26, so that the distributor is driven by the same shaft 23 which drives the elevator 8 and conveyor 13. The gear wheels 38 and 84 are protected from contact with ashes and other material by means of a gear-casing 39 which is secured to the inner surface of the receptacle 5, and provides bearings for the rotary shafts and The shaft 35 is also pro vided with a bearing in the door or bottom of the receptacle 5 so that the axis of the shaft 05 is with relation to the receptacle 5, and the shaft- 35 and its adjuncts move with the receptacle 5 when being moved to and from its tilting position. In other words, when the receptacle 5 is dumped, the gear 36 moves out of mesh with the gear 26 and when the receptacle is moved back to its normal or receiving position, the gear wheels 26 and 36 automatically move into intermeshing engagement, itb'eing understood that the teeth of these wheels are suitably rounded or beveled, in'an ordinary manner so that they exert a cam action upon one another for forcing themselves into mesh.

Any appropriate means may be employed for dumping the receptacle 5, but the means which is herein shown, and described hereinafter is very efficient and convenient, while being comparatively inexpensive, because the elevator-casing comprises a very substantial part of or support for the dumping meohav nism, as will presently appear. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front end of the receptacle 5 is provided with rearwardly extending brackets or arms having cables or other flexible elements 41 secured thereto and extending upward over sheaves 42. The sheaves 42 are supported on arms or brackets 43 which are secured on opposite sides of the elevator-casing 9, as indicated in Fig. 1, and the front ends of these brackets provide bean lugs for a shaft 44 which carries drums 45, as illustrated in Fig. 7, these drums beingindicated at 45. The ends of the cables 42 are secured to the drums 45 so that whenthe drums rotate the cables will be wound thereon. T he shaft 44 is rotatable by any approriate means but as illustrated the drum 46- is secured on the shaft 44 between the drums 45, that is at the center of the shaft, and the cable 47 is secured to and adapted to be wound on this drum 46. It is to be understood that the winding of the cable 47 on the drum 46 is opposite to that of the cables 41 on the drums 45, so that when the cables 41 are unwound, the cable 47 is wound up, and vice versa. A fluid actuated piston (not shown) may be provided in a vertically dis posed cylinder 48'and this piston may be actuated by compressed air, steam, or fluid pressure of any kind and from any appropriate source. However, as before stated, any appropriate means may be employed for rotating the shaft 44.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a very convenient, compact and comparatively inexpensive device which may either constitute a portion of a motor vehicle or may be attached to a tractor or similar device, and operated as a trailer. Moreover. it will be seen that by the provision of inlets on both sides of the machine, the ash gatherers can deposit the ashes or other material easily and conveniently from either side of the machine, thereby saving a very considerable amount of time and labor which would otherwise be and is ordinarily) spent in passing around the machine.

It is not intended to limit the invention to the exact details of construction and arrangement as described, but changes may be made within the scope of the inventive ideas as implied and claimed.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In a machine for collecting and dumping material, a truck including groundwheels and a frame carried by the ground wheels and extending forward and rearward of the axis of the ground wheels, a conveyor mounted in the central portion of said frame forwardly of said axis and being operable to convey material forward, two chutes supported by said frame forwardly of said wheels and extending inwardly to a position for delivering material to said conveyor, an elevator casing mounted on and extending up from said truck forwardly of said conveyor and provided with an inlet and an outlet, an endless bucket-elevator including a supporting axle which extends forward and rearward or in, the directionof travel of the truck, a chute between said conveyor and elevator in position to receive material from the conveyor and having a laterally directed discharging end in position to deliver material to the ascending side of said bucket-elevator,.a dumping receptacle hingedto said frame rearwardly of the axis of said groundwheels and being normally in a position over said conveyor and in position to receive material from said elevator, a transmission member on said frame, and means driven by said transmission member for operating said conveyor and elevator.

2. In a machine for collecting material, a wheeled truck, an elevator casing having an inlet and an outlet and being carried by and extending up from said truck, a conveyorcasing carried by said truck and provided with inlets upon opposite sides of the truck and an outlet, a conveyor in said conveyorcasing in position to receive material from both of said inlets of the conveyor-casing,- a chute in position to receive material from said conveyor and deliver it through the in let of said elevator-casing, an elevator in said elevator-casing to receive material from 7 said chute and deliver it through said outlet of the elevatorcasing, a receptacle on said truck and provided with. an opening through which it receives material from said. outlet of the elevator-casing, a power transmission element including a toothed gear wheel on said truck and being operable for actuating said conveyor and elevator, and a spreading device operable by said transmission element for spreading the material within said receptacle, said spreading device including a toothed gear wheel automatically movable into and out of mesh with the teeth of the first said gear wheel when the. receptacle is swung on its hinges to and from its receiving and dumping positions respectively.

in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

lVILLIAM EIERMANN. 

